AIDS 2012: NIH to Test Dapivirine Vaginal Ring for HIV Prevention

A Phase 3 study will soon be underway to test a vaginal ring containing the NNRTI dapivirine (TMC120) as a potential new woman-controlled HIV prevention method, the National Institutes of Health announced at the XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) last week in Washington, DC.

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Advocates Launch Initiative to Promote Rectal Microbicides for HIV Prevention in Africa

International Rectal Microbicide Advocates (IRMA) this week announced a new initiative to promote research about and advocacy of rectal microbicides as a method of preventing HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Treatment-as-prevention and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) using antiretroviral drugs have received the lion's share of attention in the HIV prevention field in recent years, but there remains a major unmet need for simple, inexpensive, and effective methods to enable receptive sex partners to protect themselves.

Project ARM (Africa for Rectal Microbicides) was launched at the International Microbicides Conference, taking place this week in Sydney.

Below is an edited excerpt from an IRMA press release describing the initiative. A full report is available online at http://rectalmicrobicides.org/ProjectARMreport2012.pdf. For information about and presentations from the conference, visit http://www.microbicides2012.org.

Rectal Microbicides Become a High Priority in the Fight Against HIV in Africa

A Newly Launched African-Inspired, African-Led Initiative Says “Yes” to Rectal Microbicides

Sydney -- April 16, 2012 -- A strategic initiative to promote the research and advocacy of rectal microbicides as a method of preventing HIV/AIDS in Africa takes an important step forward today.

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Dapivirine Vaginal Ring HIV Prevention Trial Launched in Africa

The International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM) last week announced the start of large clinical trial testing whether a vaginal ring containing dapivirine can reduce women's risk of becoming infected with HIV.

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CROI 2012: Studies Advance Development of Microbicides for HIV Prevention

A pair of studies presented in an oral session at the 19th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2012) taking place this week in Seattle addressed the safety and acceptability of experimental microbicide preparations. Both studies found the microbicides to be well tolerated and acceptable.

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